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My Wireless USB Network Adapter Review

pokeplayer984

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Okay, I have recently purchased a Wireless USB Network Adapter.  Now, some of you would ask why I have done such a thing.

Well, in all truth, the fact is that my experience with Windows 7 has not been as smoothly as I said it has been.  I ended up being stuck with using an Ethernet cable to connect to the router.  Even after updating as much as possible to the point where I had the latest updates, my wireless card STILL couldn't connect to the net.

Me and my dad went as far as calling up an expert at Microsoft. (As proof of this, the person at hand REALLY knew her stuff.  She was trying everything she could on-line that's available in the book, the net and secretive to get it working.  According to what I saw, I'd say she's at the Certified Hacker level.) Even after all that, my wireless card still couldn't connect and we diagnosed that was the problem.  That, even with all the updates, it STILL didn't work properly for Windows 7.  Yeah, it was that out of date.

So we went shopping for a Wireless USB Network Adapter.  We bought the cheapest G that we could find at Walmart.  The one I'm reviewing is a Wireless G USB Network Adapter from BELKIN.

For starters, the setup and installation was quick and easy.  It was so easy and flawless that I really have nothing to complain about there.

The price was actually quite good.  Like I said, it was the cheapest, and in this case, it was only $29.95.

As for the design, to be honest, it's more of something you want to hide if you are putting it into a Desktop.  Simply speaking, it just makes it look ugly if you plug it into the front there.  I have mine plugged into the back, and I really can't complain about the position of it.

However, as we all know, the most important factor for this thing is it's performance.  How well does it connect, send documents, pictures, download, upload, video streams and all that?

Well, it pretty much matches the performance of the Wireless Card I had before, which was actually quite good in every single sense.  I have been testing this with several other computers doing different things on the router at the same time.  In that sense, it actually did quite well with all of that interference.

I did find myself waiting on the videos part, but to be fair, the signal has only been getting 4 out of 5 bars for most of the day.  I'll have to give it a real test on this when it's at a 5 out of 5 bars point.

So anyways, this one has been good to me so far and I plan to continue using it.  Even if it is having problems with video, I find it more than acceptable at this point.

I know there are better adapters out there, but I really could only afford the cheapest one at this point. (Major budget problems right now.  It didn't help that I had an pricey lunch with the family that I had to pay for either.) So please, be understandable with that point, okay?

Anyways, that's it for my review.

I'll see ya later! :)


landbeforetimelover

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They all come from China anyway, so I see no reason to pay the markup price of $40 for something you can get a generic for on eBay for under $8.  Take a look at this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-54Mbps-WiFi-802-11...=item2a022aa316

The only difference between this and the $40 Netgear adapter (which this is supposed to look like) is the fact that the plastic is thinner and it feels a bit more cheapo.  Just don't throw it against the wall and you'll be fine. :p


Mumbling

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I have one too, since it was the most simple solution for internet on my room. It's not ugly though, I just have it in the front.


landbeforetimelover

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I'm only using one of these right now.  The master computer in my room can't get a wired connection so I bought the best Netgear router and WIFI adapter available.  I also have several laptops that connect through their integrated WIFI and my mother's Mac which has an integrated Airport card.  I used to have like 8 computers connected through these though so I know what I'm talking about with these things.  Those Chinese knockoffs are just as good as the $40 ones at Walmart. :p